Cathode-ray tube with a removable face for space vehicles



Nov. 18, 1%9 o. F. HAMANN CATHODE-RAY TUBE WITH A REMOVABLE FACE FOR SPACE VEHICLES Filed Dec. 11, 1963 OUTER SPAC E i INSIDE OF SPACE VEHICLE CONTROL CIRCUITRY z l r 1 1 r 1 r INVENTOR. OM51? F. HAMA/V/V ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,479,544 CATHODE-RAY TUBE WITH A REMOVABLE FACE FOR SPACE VEHICLES Omer F. Hamann, La Jolla, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Stromberg Datagraphix, Inc., San

Diego, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 329,678 Int. Cl. H01j 7/16 U.S. Cl. 3137 3 Claims The present invention relates to space vehicle display devices and, more particularly, space vehicle display devices which utilize cathode-ray type tubes.

Space vehicles utilize one or more cathode-ray type tubes for continuously informing the astronaut visually of various changing data. Since this data is of the utmost importance, the failure of the tube is a matter of extreme concern and, accordingly, spare tubes must be transported within the space vehicle. The electron gun is, generally speaking, the most vulnerable component within these tubes. As space within the vehicle is very restricted, it is desirable to eliminate the transportation of spare tubes.

In accordance with the present invention, a single hollow vacuum chamber encloses a replaceable electron gun positioned at one end of the chamber. A transparent gastight pressure plate which doubles as a display screen covers the front portion of the chamber, and a valve is provided for placing the inside of the chamber in communication with outer space at certain times for the purpose of evacuating the chamber and for placing the inside of the chamber in communication with the inside of the vehicle which is generally at atmospheric pressure at other times to equalize the pressure so that the pressure plate may be removed and the electron gun replaced.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a new and improved space vehicle display device which is highly reliable and which does not require spare tubes.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

A vacuum chamber 1 is disclosed fitted to the wall 2 of the space vehicle. Area 3 represents the inside of the space vehicle which is generally at atmospheric pressure, and area 4 represents interstellar space. A transparent pressure plate 6 covers the front portion of chamber 1, as shown, and may be detachably mounted thereon by virtually any desired means, not shown. It is imperative, however, that this detachable mounting provide a gastight fit between the pressure plate 6 and the front portion of vacuum chamber 1. Electron gun 7 is schematically represented, and is attached to plug 8 as shown, which fits into socket 9. A cable 11 is connected between control circuitry 12 and socket 9 so as to provide the electrical control signals required to direct and control electron beam 13 which impinges upon the inside surface of transparent ressure plate 6. The inside surface of the plate is coated with a cathodoluminescent substance. In actual practice unit 7 would probably include deflection plates, electron lenses, and a beam-shaping matrix, if shaped beam operation is desired. It might be that shaped beam operation may be desired at certain times and standard television operation may be desired at other times so that unit 7 may be readily replaced by the astronaut, thereby to render unnecessary the storage of spare tubes within the cramped space vehicle.

Let it be assumed that the space vehicle has just been placed into orbit and vacuum chamber 1 contains air. Plunger 14 is pulled by the astronaut so that the inside of the hollow vacuum chamber is in communication with the vacuum of interstellar space via ports 16 and 17. The plunger is thereafter released and, since the movable valve member 18 is biased mechanically in the position shown in the figure, the hollow chamber is evacuated of air and the display device is ready for operation.

Now, let it be assumed that unit 7 is to be replaced by another unit carried within the space vehicle either because of part failure or because it is desirable to change the type of unit utilized in the display device. Under these circumstances the astronaut pushes plunger 14 so that the inside of the space vehicle is placed in communication With the inside of the vacuum chamber 1 via ports 17 and 19. Air under atmospheric pressure within the space vehicle almost immediately fills vacuum chamber 1 so that the pressure existing on both sides of pressure plate 6 is equalized thereby to facilitate its removal. The astronaut thereafter reaches into the inside of vacuum chamber 1 and removes unit 7 and plugs in a new unit into socket 9. He thereafter replaces pressure plate 6 and pulls plunger 14 thereby to again evacuate vacuum chamber 1.

While there has been disclosed what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, other modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. It is not, therefore, desired that the invention be limited to the specific arrangement shown and described, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a space vehicle having a wall for defining the inside of the vehicle which contains gas under pressure, an aperture in said wall, a hollow body projecting outward- 1y from said inside of the vehicle having a first end portion remote from said aperture and a second end portion adjacent to said aperture, an electron gun capable of being plugged into an electrical receptacle, an electrical receptacle at said first end portion of said hollow body for receiving said electron gun, a cable coupled to said electrical receptacle for supplying electrical energy to said electron gun, means for connecting said hollow body to said wall, a transparent pressure plate coated with a cathodoluminescent material removably mounted across said aperture to seal the second end portion of said hollow body from the inside of said space vehicle and valve means for selectively causing the inside of said hollow body to communicate with the vacuum of interstellar space at the outside of said space vehicle or with the gas under pressure at the inside of said space vehicle.

2. In combination with a space vehicle for travelling through interstellar space, a cathode-ray tube for visually displaying information including an electron gun removably mounted therein and a gas-tight envelope surrounding said electron gun, a gas-tight detachable pressure plate forming part of the envelope of said cathode-ray tube for allowing access to the inside of said cathode-ray tube for the purpose of removing and replacing said electron gun, said pressure plate being coated with a cathodoluminescent material serving as the target for said tube, a gas chamber and valve means connected to said gastight envelope for causing the inside of said cathode-ray tube to selectively communicate with the vacuum of said interstellar space at the outside of said space vehicle or with said gas chamber.

3. In combination with a space vehicle for travelling through interstellar space, the inside of which contains gas under pressure, a hollow body having a first end portion and a second end portion, an electrical receptacle mounted in said first end portion of said hollow body, an electron gun removably coupled to said receptacle Within said hollow body for receiving energizing electrical energy therefrom, a transparent pressure plate coated with a cathodoluminescent material removably mounted across said second end portion to seal the inside of said hollow body from the inside of said space vehicle and valve means connected to said hollow body for selectively causing the inside of said hollow body to communicate with the vacuum of said interstellar space at the outside of said space vehicle or with the gas under pressure at the inside of said space vehicle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,087 8/ 1942 Ramo 313-237 2,391,780 12/1945 Hillier 313237 2,504,504 4/1950 Depois 313237 3,232,066 1/ 1966 Petersen et a1. 244-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 462,605 11/1926 Germany.

JAMES W. LAWRENCE, Primary Examiner C. -R. CAMPBELL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 313-64, 92, 237 

1. IN A SPACE VEHICLE HAVING A WALL FOR DEFINING THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CONTAINS GAS UNDER PRESSURE, AN APERTURE IN SAID WALL, A HOLLOW BODY PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAVING A FIRST END PORTION REMOTE FROM SAID APERTURE AND A SECOND END PORTION ADJACENT TO SAID APERTURE, AN ELECTRON GUN CAPABLE OF BEING PLUGGED INTO AN ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE, AN ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE AT SAID FIRST END PORTION OF SAID HOLLOW BODY FOR RECEIVING SAID ELECTRON GUN, A CABLE COUPLED TO SAID ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE FOR SUPPLYING ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO SAID ELECTRON GUN, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID HOLLOW BODY TO SAID WALL, A TRANSPARENT PRESSURE PLATE COATED WITH A CATHODOLUMINESCENT MATERIAL REMOVABLY MOUNTED ACROSS SAID APERTURE TO SEAL THE SECOND END PORTION OF SAID HOLLOW BODY FROM THE INSIDE OF SAID SPACE VEHICLE AND VALVE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CAUSING THE INSIDE OF SAID HOLLOW BODY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE VACUUM OF INTERSTELLAR SPACE AT THE OUTSIDE OF SAID SPACE VEHICLE OR WITH THE GAS UNDER PRESSURE AT THE INSIDE OF SAID SPACE VEHICLE. 